White Tea Turned Dark? Normal?

[gvandellen]

White Tea Turned Dark? Normal?

by gvandellen » Apr 5th, '07, 22:06

I have the TriniTea and I brewed some Silver Needle white tea and the first pot cup was great. I went back an hour later to have some more with the sushi I just rolled (warmer plate was on) and the white tea was now dark and bitter. It was just the pot. Did the white tea brew ferment? How long can I leave it on before this happens?

[rhpot1991]

by rhpot1991 » Apr 6th, '07, 01:34

I find that most white and green teas get a bitter/unpleasant flavor when left on the warming plate. I just don't use the warming plate, but there might be a better solution. I would guess that temperature isn't a problem as the leaves are no longer a factor, seems that the tea is being concentrated or losing water due to evaporation.

-John

[Mary R]

by Mary R » Apr 6th, '07, 10:15

In my experience, all teas will grow darker over time--whether left on a heat source or not--and their tastes can become bitter.

I believe it's just continued exposure to air and oxidation, but it's not something I've tested.

The last time I brewed enough white to have a significant amount of left overs, I left a pitcher out on the counter. An hour later I thought, "Gee, does that look darker?" I left for work, and when I returned four hours later I thought, "Bloody hell, I'm sure I didn't brew a black!"

Same thing happens to greens, oolongs, and blacks. It's just not quite as noticeable or extensive in the latter two. I think if you remove the tea from the heat source and 'store' it in an airtight container, it shouldn't get quite as dark...but then again, it's not something I've tested personally.

[gvandellen]

by gvandellen » Apr 6th, '07, 23:19

I left for work, and when I returned four hours later I thought, "Bloody hell, I'm sure I didn't brew a black!"

I thought I was crazy....because I thought the same thing.

[scruffmcgruff]

by scruffmcgruff » Apr 6th, '07, 23:32

This sounds like an interesting experiment... *schemes*

I'll let you know when the results are in.

[Mary R]

by Mary R » Apr 7th, '07, 10:18

I'll let you know when the results are in.

Please do! I always love reading the guides/experiments/whatever on your blog. If neuroscience doesn't pan out for you, you've always got a career in comedic writing!

[Warden Andy]

by Warden Andy » Apr 7th, '07, 12:17

I have unintentionally tested that before. I think what happens is that tea will continue brewing even without any leaves, and will continue to darken over time.

When I unintentionally tested that, I put some hot sencha in an air tight thermos. I filled it up all the way, so the air inside the thermos was minimal. An hour or two later, the tea darkened, and the flavor changed.

I also did the same thing with iced yunnan before. I drank that tea for the next couple days, and it didn't change much, even after the third day. The tea also had more exposure to air after the first day.

Hot water brews tea faster and cold water brews tea a lot slower.

[rhpot1991]

by rhpot1991 » Apr 9th, '07, 16:00

I often make iced white tea and leave it sit out on the counter to cool (sometimes overnight), and it doesn't have the same effect as if I were to leave it on the heat source. Most of my iced tea is gone within a day or two, so I couldn't tell you if it will have the same effect when sitting in the fridge for a while. Fresh brewed iced tea should be used within a week anyways and disposed of when it gets cloudy.